Nature Of Warfare In Modern Era 1900-present

Question 1

Composition and command of armies in 1900 (4) %

Answer 1

• Infantry 65% of the army
• Cavalry used for scouting 10% of the army
• Artillery 20% of armed forces
• Specialist troops only 5%

Question 2

Continuity of Composition and command of armies 1900-Present (3)

Answer 2

• Still a relatively small army in peacetime
• Infantry still the most likely to confront enemy on the ground
• Bombarding enemy still a key part of warfare

Question 3

Change of Composition and command of armies 1900-Present (7)

Answer 3

• Army grew to unprecedented size during the world wars
• Size of regular army now smaller than 1900 (similar to size in 1840)
• Haldane’s reforms 1908- Army restructured into regular and territorial force
• Significant development in war - infantry now only 25%
• Tank units replacing the role of cavalry
• Proportion of artillery troops fallen as role is shared with aircrafts and tanks
• 55% of Army now specialist troops (e.g Royal Engineers, logistics corps)

Question 4

Weapons in 1900 (3)

Answer 4

• Improved cannon - percussion shells, smokeless powder
• Rifles - bullets magazines significantly improved
• Machine guns - E.g Gatling gun 1860, Maxim gun 1890s (500 rounds per minute)

Question 5

Continuity of weapons

Answer 5

Cannon, rifles, machine huns used extensively during ww1

Question 6

Change of weapons (5)

Answer 6

• Rapid and constant change of weaponry - largely due to the 2 world wars
• Tanks, aircrafts, motorise transport used much more effectively
• Nuclear weapons transformed conflict after 1945 (Hiroshima and Nagasaki)
• New bomber aircraft - bombing targets much more efficient and accurate e.g stealth bombers, fighter jets and drones
• Infantry weapons - ARs with laser aiming, telescopic sights

Question 7

Tactics and strategy in 1900 (3)

Answer 7

• Improvements in weapons greatly increased the power of defence - this meant that cavalry charges and infantry lines became even more dangerous. Crimean war showed that the British were slow to realise this
• Role of cavalry also diminished further (e,g balaclava) - cavalry still seen as important in a ‘traditional’ way
• Government also changed strategy - larger army was needed and with transport and communication changes, armies could now operate far from home

Question 8

Continuity of Tactics and strategy (2)

Answer 8

• Trench warfare continued in early part of C.20

* Cavalry units still deployed at start of WW1

Question 9

Change of Tactics and strategy (3) (1914-18)

Answer 9

New weaponry meant a significant change to tactics and strategy:
• Use of railways to transport masses of troops gave attack the upper-hand
• Defences then dominate (machine guns, trenches, artillery)
• Use of tanks, aircraft eventually break the stalemate

Question 10

Change of Tactics and strategy (1939-45)

Answer 10

Blitzkrieg - tanks, aircraft and motorise transport give attacks upper hand